Changing
by LuxStarr
Summary: Starting half way through the year is bad enough without having to keep her secret. Strong, confident, nobody would call Katniss a freak as she passed them in her old school corridor. But then the accident changed everything. Through tales of trauma and tears, Katniss meets Peeta at her new school, but discovers he also harbours a secret, that may or may not be life threatening.
1. Moving On

Here we go again. New school, new teachers, new classmates, old Katniss.

I was sitting in the car next to my sister, Prim, curled up in a ball staring out the window. Urgh. My life was such a pain, and now it wasn't going to get any better. And to make things even worse I was hungry. My life was the best.  
Don't worry, I'm not one of those people who complains about their life because they can't see some stupid movie or have a piece of technology. No. My life was much worse.

Sorry, you're probably slightly confused. But then again, so am I. Why did I have to ruin everything? Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut? Why did he have to die?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The first thing I should probably mention is that I communicate through sign language. One day I just decided to isolate myself from the rest of the world, after the accident I just couldn't bring myself to speak. It's been that way ever since. No please and thank you, no hello and goodbye.  
Only silence.  
Just.  
Perfect.  
Silence.  
Until my sister suggested sign language. Oh and another thing you should know about me, hurt my sister and I'll give you hell. Silent hell.  
But using sign language doesn't make me a freak, a weirdo or anything like that. And I'm just as clever as the next sixteen year old, well maybe not, but it's not my fault I got taken out of school for a whole year after the acci...  
No. I have to stop remembering. No matter what my therapist says. I cannot, no, must not, remember.  
I used to get teased at school because I never spoke, people would always ask me questions to try and make me talk, they would ridicule me, call me names like 'mime' and 'mute'. Sometimes I'd find leaflets stuffed into my locker advertising jobs in the circus and...

"Katniss, Katniss" Prim whined, I turned away from the window, her face cupped in her hands, her knees huddled to her chest. She looked up, her eyes shinning and started to sign.  
"I don't feel well"  
I smiled softly and nodded, before turning to tap my mum on the shoulder.  
"Yes, dear"  
I pointed in Prim's direction.

Don't think I couldn't speak if I wanted to. I could. But I don't. Okay?


	2. The Guy

After stopping at a service station for Prim, we continued in the car for about two hours, Prim and mum in deep conversation, me just staring out the window.  
It had started to rain.

I like the rain.

But, is it just me who thinks that life is horribly unfair no matter what you are? Every object, every person, every place has some form of bitterness about it. Take this raindrop I see sliding down the car window for example. The carefree life it has upon the window, is short lived as it merges in with another drop, loosing all control in how it's life is run. Sorry, you probably think I'm crazy. I'm not. I'm just different.

As we slowed at a traffic light, I noticed a group of people huddling under an umbrella. They must have been having a good time despite the rain as their faces seemed to shine - though some of the smiles seemed plastered on. I noticed that there was one person who was the centre of attention; the blonde guy - slightly smaller than me - seemed to have everyone engrossed by the story he must have been telling. I don't know why but I knew I didn't like him, he seemed like the over confident type, the charismatic but cocky type and the type who came from a perfect, rich and snobby family.  
Then I felt something cold run down my cheek.

**Hey** **guys sorry it's a very short chapter, I will make the next ones much longer and hopefully update again soon today. X**


	3. The House

**Hey Guys, just a quick author's note. I know my chapters aren't very long but to be honest I'm not sure how good a writer I am. If you have any pointers for me feel free to tell me in the comments. Oh and I promise to try and make the chapters longer and more interesting once I get Katniss into school.**

**Rubiksmaniac: Thanks for reviewing, I really appreciate it! I'll try to update as often as I can - but I apologise in advance :)**

**Firegirl99: Thanks for reviewing, I'm not gonna reveal anything to do with the plot just yet, but there's definitely gonna be more crying characters ( I don't know whether a smiley face is appropriate just after mentioning a sad topic but :) ) **

**ThaliaFairborn: Thanks for reviewing, your not the only one, I've never written a story like this - I hope it goes well :)**

**Guest: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it, like I said to rubiksmaniac, I'll try updating as much as possible :)**

**One last thing, I've been reading other stories a lot on fanfiction and I've noticed that many people do disclaimers so I'll do it in this chapter for the who of the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the hunger games characters in my story, i just own the plot (unfortunately :P)**

Urgh. I hate crying? It makes me feel weak, powerless, it makes me think of things that I don't want to think about...  
Geez. Pull yourself together.

After leaving behind the group of cheery teenagers, we soon pulled up by a fairly big house, but there was one thing. Pink. It was pink. Yay! I love the colour pink!

Please note my sarcasm.

However judging by the excited squeals coming from the seat next to me, I could guess that at least someone would be happy with the house.

"Well? What do you think?" Asked mum

" It's great! Wow how many floors does it have? Where's my room? Does Katniss get the biggest room? Is my room pink? Is Katniss's room pink? Because I don't think she'd like that. Personally I love the colour, though not the really dark colour. Oh like that dress I saw in the shop window, I think it was a prom dress. Talking about prom, which school are we gong to? When are we starting? I wonder if I'll make any friends. I hope they're like my last group of friends, apart from Sheila. I hated her. She was such a brat. remember that time we bought the same t-shirt and she tried to force me to take it back, and when I refused she shredded it to pieces, and then you, Katniss, got really angry and made her pay for a new one without even having to raise your voice? Now that was awesome!"

Another reason why I don't have to talk so much. My sister could talk for England and doesn't leave me much to say.

Oh and I know i said we communicate in sign language but that's only when I reply to them, I'm not deaf so I can still understand them when they speak.

As we approached the front porch I had a cliché feeling we were being watched, turning around I saw no-one on the street. But I did catch, out of the corner of my eye, the closing of a door from a house across the street.

Wow! I was actually impressed, the house was pretty big. When you stepped through the front door you were greeted by a long open hall way with a... White spiral staircase, no way, cool.

"Katniss, your room is up at the very top of the house, 3rd floor." shouted my mum from the porch.  
Okay, Thanks  
I raced up the stairs, Prim at my heels, and stopped suddenly at the top. Prim- not noticing my unmoving self- crashed into me.  
"Ow. Geez Katniss" .

Looking up to where I was pointing she stopped.

"No fricken' way"

What was it we were staring at I hear you ask? Well I'll tell you.

A fireman's pole.

Why were we so exited?  
Well there's fricken' fireman's pole in our house. A fireman's pole. I felt 6. It was Christmas come early. But don't try to judge me, there's a fireman's pole in our house, your argument is invalid. What the hell it was doing there, I don't know.

You may have noticed that I talk quite a lot in my head- just call me crazy. But of course I could never say or sign my feelings out loud. So when Prim ran over to the pole I just followed nonchalantly. I know it's weird but I just can't express my emotions, it's not stupid and it's not a phase, I just don't want to be hurt again

**Guys, looking back I've realised that my chapters tend to end in sad and slightly cliché moments - I'll try to stop that...**


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